M.L. McKnight
Overrun with beasties
I've had a few commercial cattle and am running a nurse cow-calf program with my brother. After doing some talking we decided that we'd start holding back some of our better heifers and look for a good bull prospect to essentially make our own cattle so we don't have to buy all of those bottle calves to put on our nurse cows.
Most of the stock around here are your basic or more common breeds: Angus, Charolais, Brangus, Hereford, Black Simmental (*I make a point to call them black, I know they are good cattle but I like the traditional hide better), Brahman, Baldy and etc. Each breed has its own following and breeders who'll swear up and down that they are the BEST breed ever to put four hooves on the ground, I've just been nodding my head- tipping my hat and going about my merry way when I talk to someone who gets on their breed's soapbox and tells me the same information I can find on Oklahoma State's website.
After going back and forth on the idea for a few years we decided that we'd like to get a Belgian Blue bull. I'm not one to judge a breed as much as I will judge a bull, but most of what I have read concerning the cut out benefits of using a Belgian Blue as a terminal sire have impressed me. I have looked a pictures of these cattle from breeders the world over, some are grotesque in their muscling but there are some sleeker ones that are averaging about 2300lbs mature weight that look appealing.
I wouldn't use a Belgian Blue on heifers until it was proven that he threw lightweight calves but I doubt many mature cows would have any difficulty calving. I know that the other breeds are easier to acquire and that black hided cattle bring more at most sale barns but I am more interested in the additional 7-10% of cut out that this breed is said to bring to the table with a 50% cross.
A pair of questions now:
1.) Has anyone had any experience with this breed? I understand the difficulties with some of the breeds' heifers and cows given their sometimes extreme rumps, but given the focus that has been placed on lower birth weight calves in the 75-85lb range, I am eyeing a bull for use in a commercial program.
2.) Does anyone know where I can find a good weaned bull calf? My brother is still in Afghanistan and talking back and forth he has been having me do most of the searching, his only request is that the bull be closer to a White or Blue than a predominantly black one. I don't personally care but in his words, "I don't want a Belgian Blue that looks like a d@mn Holstein!"
Any thoughts or advice would be appreciated. Thank you.
Most of the stock around here are your basic or more common breeds: Angus, Charolais, Brangus, Hereford, Black Simmental (*I make a point to call them black, I know they are good cattle but I like the traditional hide better), Brahman, Baldy and etc. Each breed has its own following and breeders who'll swear up and down that they are the BEST breed ever to put four hooves on the ground, I've just been nodding my head- tipping my hat and going about my merry way when I talk to someone who gets on their breed's soapbox and tells me the same information I can find on Oklahoma State's website.
After going back and forth on the idea for a few years we decided that we'd like to get a Belgian Blue bull. I'm not one to judge a breed as much as I will judge a bull, but most of what I have read concerning the cut out benefits of using a Belgian Blue as a terminal sire have impressed me. I have looked a pictures of these cattle from breeders the world over, some are grotesque in their muscling but there are some sleeker ones that are averaging about 2300lbs mature weight that look appealing.
I wouldn't use a Belgian Blue on heifers until it was proven that he threw lightweight calves but I doubt many mature cows would have any difficulty calving. I know that the other breeds are easier to acquire and that black hided cattle bring more at most sale barns but I am more interested in the additional 7-10% of cut out that this breed is said to bring to the table with a 50% cross.
A pair of questions now:
1.) Has anyone had any experience with this breed? I understand the difficulties with some of the breeds' heifers and cows given their sometimes extreme rumps, but given the focus that has been placed on lower birth weight calves in the 75-85lb range, I am eyeing a bull for use in a commercial program.
2.) Does anyone know where I can find a good weaned bull calf? My brother is still in Afghanistan and talking back and forth he has been having me do most of the searching, his only request is that the bull be closer to a White or Blue than a predominantly black one. I don't personally care but in his words, "I don't want a Belgian Blue that looks like a d@mn Holstein!"
Any thoughts or advice would be appreciated. Thank you.